In New England, that is not the case. Everything is in circles. Not only that, but the roads are lined with trees (BEAUTIFUL--but you can't see landmarks because they are set back behind the trees). I tend to be someone who follows landmarks, rather than street names, so this has been a challenge. The roads twist and turn but every mile looks the same. It's beautiful...it's just the same.
Pretty much everyone has a GPS--even people who have lived here a long time. It's a good thing I have it because there are SO many times that it tells me to go in a direction that is COMPLETELY counter-intuitive. I finally figured out that it's because the roads are in circles. So, even though I came from one direction, it might be faster to go in the opposite direction to go home. ARGH!
And then there are the roundabouts. Ooohhhh...gotta love these! They are a big circle with about six roads flowing in and out of them. You drive into the circle and run for your life. I just stay on the outside lane and hope for the best. You definitely don't want to get on the inside track...see your road...and cut across two lanes of traffic horizontally to get where you need to exit. It is especially fun when I am following Jeff and he isn't sure which road until the last second. (We take two cars everywhere because we don't all fit in our mini-van.)
Another thing I am getting used to is that I think the roads were built for horse and buggies! They are incredibly narrow and there is no shoulder. They are barely wide enough for two cars. I shudder to think what they will be like in the winter when the roads are icy. I think I'll stay home! A lot of the mailboxes along the roads have dents in them and I'm thinking that people accidentally hit them with the mirrors of their cars. The trees are right on the edge of the road, so there is no grace area if you need to move over. Forget about getting a flat tire or having car trouble!
And then there are the roundabouts. Ooohhhh...gotta love these! They are a big circle with about six roads flowing in and out of them. You drive into the circle and run for your life. I just stay on the outside lane and hope for the best. You definitely don't want to get on the inside track...see your road...and cut across two lanes of traffic horizontally to get where you need to exit. It is especially fun when I am following Jeff and he isn't sure which road until the last second. (We take two cars everywhere because we don't all fit in our mini-van.)
Another thing I am getting used to is that I think the roads were built for horse and buggies! They are incredibly narrow and there is no shoulder. They are barely wide enough for two cars. I shudder to think what they will be like in the winter when the roads are icy. I think I'll stay home! A lot of the mailboxes along the roads have dents in them and I'm thinking that people accidentally hit them with the mirrors of their cars. The trees are right on the edge of the road, so there is no grace area if you need to move over. Forget about getting a flat tire or having car trouble!
All in all, it's very pretty countryside here and in the fall, I'm sure it will be stunning.
